Young and Beautiful
by Olympic Gold Penguin
Summary: Arwen has a problem, what if she doesn't bear and heir? What if she loses her graces and beauty and Aragorn doesn't love her anymore? Based on Lana Del Rey's "Younge and Beautiful" this shows how insecurity is a simple factor in a relationship that can be cured with a helpful hobbit's advice.


_"Will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful?"- Lana Del Rey_

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Arwen awoke to the shifting of covers, the slight moan that escaped him, the heat of her husband. She looked over, he was old, streaked with grey, like silver running through his hair. Wrinkles of happiness and sadness and age and wear shone upon his face but in the morning light they formed a smile.

"Good morning, my love." Aragorn whispered.

Arwen kissed him lightly and threw her covers off her, "busy day. Parties and such tonight." Arwen informed her husband, the king of Gondor.

"But Arwen…" Aragorn whined childishly and then they burst out laughing. Mornings for them were their only time to be at ease together, no queenly duties with maidens to serve her, no kingly commanding and planning for him. Just the two of them. Just the two.

But that morning, while Aragorn had a party to plan that evening, Arwen did not have to do something (at least not until lunchtime where she would test the party food). So she stayed in her room and looked at herself.

Being a once elf she was still fair and beautiful, even with the age wearing on her. She was pregnant, eight months in, and she was starting to age (to elves she may be young but for men she was aging) and the three grey streaks proved that. Her complexion, fair and flawless still, her hair a river of chocolate down her back.

Then she realized, wives changed often, she had been told, especially for men, especially for kings whose previous wife could not bear him a strong, healthy heir to his throne. _What if that previous wife is me?_ The thought had come across her mind before, but never like this. She stared horrified at her child, what if it was a female, and Aragorn no longer wanted her?

_Oh stop you silly girl,_ she chastised herself, _what is the point in love if there is no loyalty?_ And she knew that what she and Aragorn had was love. A deep, passionate and fulfilling love for one another, elf and man, mortal and mortal, man and woman.

Arwen put on a pale green dress and headed to the garden. Movements caught her eye and she looked about. In the fountain, Arwen saw a face, it was her husbands!

"Do you honestly think I loved you?" Aragorn sneered. _Of course he did!_ Arwen thought. "Wrong, I do not love you. You are old, you bring me no heirs and you have grown out of beauty. I am king, I could have any woman in my kingdom. Why should I choose you?"

Arwen's head pounded, every sound she heard before, the rustling of trees and hum of animals, were muffled, as if she had been submerged underwater. Her breaths became rapid, her stomach churned and blackness crept into the corners of her vision. The sun was a thousand times hotter than it should have been, the air a poisonous fume.

"My Lady Arwen!" She heard a voice cry. Arwen looked up from the small puddle of saliva that she had created, trying and not succeeding to be sick, to see the hobbits Merry and Pippin running her way.

"My lady, are you alright?" Pippin asked.

"Fine, just fine." said Arwen, "morning jitters."

"It's two in the afternoon." Merry informed her.

"What!" Arwen jumped up suddenly, "I was suppose to go to the kitchen and test the food and- oh, I'm a terrible queen. Aragorn deserves someone better!" She burst into tears.

"Er- your turn?" Merry said to Pippin, pointing at the hysterically sobbing queen.

"Yeesh I knew pregnant women had mood swings, fire hand experience, but this…"

"Oh what have you idiots done?" Sam cried out as he saw the scene. He rushed to Arwen's side and looked her in the eyes, "now, what's the matter?"

"I- I'm not good enough for Aragorn. And I know that it seems silly but it's true, wives aren't permanent! What if I don't bear him an heir? What if I become too old, too weak, what if I lose my beauty and he no longers loves me?" Arwen began to ball again.

"Now I'm sure Aragorn does not mean to stop loving you," said Sam. "Everyone here loves you, the elves love you, the kingdome loves you, the girls who believe in true love love you, we love you! And surely your husband will love you, think and thin. Blood is thicker than water afterall."

"Aragorn," Arwen said as they retired for the night.

"Yeah?" said Aragorn.

"Will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful?"

"Forever and always."

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**Based on Lana Del Rey's "Young and Beautiful" song. I made this out of sheer boredom, romance and will to write. I don't own the Lord of the Rings.**


End file.
